Electronic greywater reusing washing machine

ABSTRACT

The subject of the invention is a fully electronic grey water reusing washing machine recycling the greywater produced in the household for toilet flushing, which replaces the mechanical technical solution using mechanically moving parts as floating buoys ( 6,  B 6 ) provided with actuating shafts ( 15,  B 15 ) as its immediate antecedent forerunner by a completely electronically functioning technical solution, wherein the ECU of the washing machine carries out the tasks of storing, treating and feeding the greywater to flush the toilet by commanding electronic water valves (B 4,  D 4, 7,  B 8 ) on basis of the signals received from the electronic water sensors (S 1 , S 2,  S 3,  Sn/F 1,  F 2,  F 3 , . . . Fn) mounted in the greywater and freshwater tanks respectively, while using one single greywater tank on the washer.

In domestic water consumption the washing water from the bathroom and from the laundry account for about 50% while about 35% is wasted on flushing the toilet. Toilet flushing water need not be of potable water quality. No fresh water should be used to flush the toilet. The definition of greywater according the Californian graywater law [Revised Graywater Standards, APPENDIX G, GRAYWATER SYSTEMS, G 2 Definitions]: “Graywater is untreated waste water which has not come into contact with toilet waste. Graywater includes waste water from bathtubs, showers, bathroom wash basins, clothes washing machines, and laundry tubs, or an equivalent discharge as approved by the Administrative Authority. It does not include waste water from kitchen sinks, photo lab sinks, dishwashers, or laundry water from soiled diapers.”

Due to brushing teeth, as well as to shaving, the used water from wash-basin, contains certain solid pollutants, thus it is advisable to consider it as black water, for practical reasons. A “lighter type” of greywater is rainwater which is allowed to be used for watering food plants. Washing water, the “darker” type of greywater, can not be used for watering food plants. Greywater from washing can be used only to water ornamental (non-food) plants, if it contains non-bio-degradable detergents.

A number of countries which have a low level of precipitation, having extended semi arid or desert areas, including states of the USA and Australia, have their own greywater laws which stipulate the conditions for using greywater. These conditions stipulate that greywater can be used only after filtration and disinfection. The term itself : greywater [UK], graywater [US] or Grauwasser in German is an internationally accepted and used technicus terminus, which terms are defined and used also in the wording of laws and regulations and which does not refer only to the colour of the used water but rather indicates the level of pollution, i.e. the quality of the used water. The used water leaving the toilet, kitchen sink, dish-washer, a laundry-works, the garage, a laboratory qualifies as black-water. Grey-water contains about one ninth of the contaminants than those contained in black-water. Greywater is not allowed to contain solid contaminants therefore it must be filtered. Untreated greywater (without filtration and disinfection) should not be stored in the household for more than 24 hours.

It is an important and basic environmental protection principle that the wastewater (or any other waste) produced should be recycled or reused the closest possible to its production in place and time. Accordingly, the aim is to reuse the greywater within the same household where it is produced, in the simplest and quickest possible way, by applying one single greywater tank, in cases where the greywater tank is located at a somewhat higher place than the place where the greywater is produced.

In those cases the greywater is pumped into the greywater tank which may be on top of the washing machine, by a stronger than usual water pump of said washing machine, pumping the greywater from the washer and/or from the bath/shower to said greywater tank.

The present technology known: In case of the patent application Nos. PCT/HU0200164, (P0204328) the problem to be solved was: how to store, treat and feed a larger volume of greywater quantity, which can be even a hundred times more than necessary for one toilet flushing with the use of one single greywater tank.

The above mentioned patent application solved this issue by increasing the dimensions of the greywater tank in width, depth but mainly in height, by limiting the plunger buoy to rise higher than a the level of water signifying the volume enough for one single toilet flushing. The water continues to exert on the floater an ascensional force, but because its floating upwards is limited, the floating buoy can not rise higher than the limiter and becomes an underwater plunger buoy. On the other hand, a larger volume of greywater can be poured above the floater without preventing it to carry out its basic role. In a traditional toilet tank the vertical movements of the floater regulates the volume of water flowing into the tank: if the water flows down from under the floater the floater sinks towards the bottom of the tank and the actuator shaft connecting the floater to the freshwater inlet valve—indicating the vertical movement—opens the freshwater inlet valve letting tapwater into the tank.

In case when there is a larger volume of water column above the plunger buoy, the freshwater inlet pipe-end is mounted above the water level and said floater is connected to the freshwater inlet valve with a rod functioning as an actuating shaft. Thus the downward movement of the buoy opens the inlet valve, whereas the upward movement of the buoy closes the inlet valve.

In case of the patent application, No. PCT/IB2004/004066 (P0304016, WO2005/056935) the greywater tank incorporates a smaller freshwater tank which enables secondary freshwater flushing the volume of which can be adjusted even to zero.

According to the technical solution of the greywater tank the 4 freshwater inlet valve inside the 1 greywater tank is operated by the 15 actuating shaft connected to the 6 floating buoy.

In the smaller B1 freshwater tank inside the 1 greywater tank the C4 freshwater inlet valve is connected to the B6 floating buoy with the B15 actuating shaft. The patent application Nos. PCT/HU0200164 (P0204328) and PCT/IB2004/004066 (P0304016, WO2005/056935) contain the description of the way and mechanism of how the greywater goes to flush the toilet.

The problem to be solved: The technical solution of the present invention aims at replacing the mechanical parts of the above mentioned structures consisting of floating buoys letting fresh water into the tank enough for one flushing by electronic parts and mechanisms in order that the system should not contain moving mechanical parts which may loosen and go wrong due to the vibration and jerking of the washing machine. To accomplish this task there are S1, S2, S3, . . . Sn water sensors mounted within the greywater tank indicating scaled water quantities which water sensors send signals to the Electronic Control Unit (hereinafter referred to as ECU). and on basis of these signals the ECU is capable to carry out multiple tasks:

1.) The S1 lowest electronic water sensor detects if the water level is below the level indicated by the No. 20 in the greywater tank, which is the water level marking the minimum water quantity enough for one flushing. In that case S1 sends a signal through the ECU to the B4 freshwater inlet valve to open and the B4 freshwater valve will remain open until it receives an other signal to close.

Remarque: since the greywater volume produced in the household is about twice as much as the water quantities needed for toilet flushing and in addition rainwater can also be directed into the greywater tank it happens very rarely that the greywater tank holds less greywater than the volume for one flushing. It must be reminded that the aim of the inventions reusing greywater, i.e. “the problem to be solved” is to ensure the storage, treating and feeding of larger quantities of greywater, and not only to ensure that there be a minimum water quantity enough for one flushing. To ensure the minimum water quantity for one flushing is only one of the “sine qua non” prerequisites of the invention to ensure its continuous automatic operation.

2. The Sn water sensor mounted at the highest point is an emergency sensor, a security element. As per the above mentioned previous inventions the mechanical tanks are provided with overflow orifice and overflow pipes the diameter of which is larger than that of the greywater inlet pipe-end. The Sn emergency sensor is mounted above the overflow orifice, and should the overflow orifice or the filtering and disinfecting get clogged, the emergency sensor detects any eventual plugging and sends the adequate signal to the ECU. On basis of this emergency signal the ECU sends a signal to the B7 flushing valve to open it to drain the greywater tank completely and sends out warning signals to activate the light and sound emitting alarm device to warn for the checking of the filtering and disinfecting unit and to the draining of the tank.

3. The S1, S2, S3, . . . Sn greywater sensors mounted in the greywater tank are sending continuously signals to the ECU as the rising or descending greywater reaches them. On basis of these signals received from the sensors the ECU can do calculations about the water quantities used for toilet flushing.

Replacing the mechanically moving parts by an electronic mechanism thus serves the aim to create an eco-civilized modern-convenience which is working reliably and in security, providing information about water use, which is the advantage provided by that electronic device corresponding to the requirements of our modern age. In order to assure an even more reliable and safer operation, the mechanical water inlet device consisting of the 6 and B6 floating buoys connected by the 15 and B15 actuating shafts to the mechanical water inlet valves can be left in place parallel to the mounting of the electronic device (consisting of electronic parts) and the B7 mechanical drain tap should also be left in place parallel to the 7, B8 electronic flushing and draining valves.

At the height indicating the 20 water level enough for one flushing and for the purpose of indicating the greywater level so that it could be regulated there are S1, S2, S3, . . . Sn water sensor mounted in the 1 greywater tank which sensors are connected to the ECU of the washing machine.

The B4 freshwater inlet valve is connected to the ECU of the washer. On basis of the signals sent by the S1 electronic water sensor to the ECU of the washer the ECU emits signals to command the B4 electronic freshwater inlet valve to open and to close.

The S1, S2, S3, . . . Sn electronic water sensors are connected to the ECU of the washing machine.

The ECU is preprogrammed with adequate programme enabling it to measure and calculate the water use and greywater use. On basis of the signals received from the water sensors the ECU continuously calculates the quantities of water consumption and the quantities of greywater reuse. The washing machine has a numeric (digital) display unit which is connected to the ECU and which display unit has control knobs with the help of which the calculated values of water consumption and the calculated values of reused greywater quantities can be displayed. There are F1, F2, F3, . . . Fn water sensing units mounted in the B1 freshwater tank to indicate scaled water quantities which sensors are connected to the ECU of the washer in order to indicate the freshwater quantities and to enable the regulation of these quantities.

The electronic solution of the present invention enables the fully electronic functioning of the greywater reusing washer by replacing and/or completing the mechanically operating mechanism in the 1 greywater tank and B1 freshwater tank serving the purpose of toilet flushing.

This offer the advantage that mechanical breakdown of the flushing mechanism can be eliminated and the complete greywater reusing system is under full control of one single ECU of the washer.

Consequently, the present technical solution simplifies the mechanism of the greywater reusing washer. It offers an other advantage, namely, that the user can continuously follow and regulate the freshwater consumption and the measure of greywater reuse.

A further advantage of the present invention is that the joint and parallel use of mechanical and electronic mechanisms can work together, completing each other. Leaving in place the mechanical parts as per the above mentioned inventions [patent application Nos. PCT/HU0200164 (P0204328) and PCT/IB2004/004066 (P0304016, WO2005/056935)] means that their advantages can be kept, as well, namely, that they can operate in a possible power cut, or when some electronic parts of the washing machine breaks down.

The ECU of the greywater reusing washer can be the same type of electronic circuit generally used for controlling a washing machine, which can be any preprogrammed electronic control circuit, microcontroller, EPROM or ROM, or any other chip, microchip or driver card used in that field, such as a 24-relay output control card, which can use any programme the script of which can be made on a PC in Assembler or any other programming language used for ECUs, and which programme can be burnt or loaded into the ECU.

The primary task of the ECU remains to run the washer programmes that a regular automatic washing machine does (washing, rinsing, spin drying, etc.) but besides these traditional operations, its functions can be extended and heightened to include the additional tasks of flushing the toilet with greywater and secondary freshwater load, which includes the processing of signals received from the water sensors on basis of predetermined algorithms and the regulation of the electronic water valves, accordingly.

It is not the purpose of the present patent application to modify any washer ECU on hardware level and the software consisting of the many types of programmes which will be created to control the greywater operation of washing machines will be as varied as the ECU programmes of the presently existing washing machines are different.

On FIG. 1/1 the 1 greywater tank is on top of the washing machine. Inside the 1 greywater tank is the smaller sized B1 freshwater tank. In case of the previous technical solutions of mechanical functioning, as soon as the 20 water level marking the minimum quantity for one flushing descends, the 6 floater floats downward with the sinking water level and the 15 actuating shaft attached to it opens the 4 freshwater inlet valve. According to the present electronic solution, as soon as the water level sinks below the 20 level marker for minimum quantity of one flushing this change is detected by the S1 electronic water sensor and it sends a signal to the ECU of the washer which ECU, on its turn, sends a signal to the B4 electromagnetic freshwater inlet valve. This B4 valve remains open until it the S1 lowest water sensor detects again that the water level reaches the 20 water mark and sends again a signal to the ECU about sensing water again. On basis of that signal from the water sensor the ECU sends a control signal to the B4 water inlet valve to shut off.

The other S2, S3, etc. graywater sensors which are mounted in the tank at scaled heights indicating exact water quantities detect the presence or absence of greywater when they get in touch with it and send electronic signals to the ECU of the washer accordingly. On basis of these signals the ECU of the washer due to its programme stored in its registers can measure and calculate continuously the exact quantities of reused greywater.

In the case of secondary freshwater flushing, as soon as the water level sinks below the minimum level adjusted by the user for one secondary flushing the F1 lowest electronic water sensor detects the absence of water and sends a signal to the ECU of the washer. On basis of the signal received from the F1 water sensor the ECU sends a signal to the D4 electromagnetic water inlet valve to open it. As soon as the F1 water sensor detects the presence of water again—as the water is rising—it sends another signal to the ECU which on its turn sends a signal to the D4 water inlet valve to shut off.

When operating the 7 flushing valve the control knob pertaining to it sends a signal to the ECU of the washer and according to a predetermined programme on basis of the quantity stipulated by the user, the ECU sends a signal to shut off the 7 flushing valve. The same actuating knob also sends opening and closing control signals to the B8 secondary flushing valve to flush with freshwater according to predetermined timing. Due to the B7 mechanical greywater flushing valve the user can operate greywater flushing manually and mechanically and the user can keep the greywater flush running as long as it is considered necessary. The greywater tank can be drained and completely emptied with the B7 mechanical greywater flushing valve.

The Sn electronic greywater sensor is mounted at the highest level in the 1 greywater tank above the overflow orifice and when it detects the presence of water it means that either the overflow tube is plugged or the filtering and disinfecting unit is clogged. In that case the Sn electronic water sensor sends an emergency signal to the ECU. On basis of this emergency signal the ECU sends a signal to the 7 flushing valve to open it to drain the greywater tank completely and sends out alert signals to warn for the draining of the tank and to activate the light and sound emitting alarm device to check the filtering and disinfecting unit. (The washer is equipped with those light and sound emitting alarm devices as per the above mentioned invention, patent application No. PCT/IB2004/004066 [P0304016, WO2005/056935]) 

1. Electronic greywater reusing washing machine recycling the greaywater for toilet flushing possessing electronic water sensors (S1, S2, S3, . . . Sn) mounted at determined scaled heights indicating exact water quantities in the greywater tank (1) capable to measure, treat and feed the greywater for toilet flushing, said greywater tank (1) is on top of the washing machine, said electronic water sensors are connected electronically to the Electronic Control Unit of the washer, said ECU is connected to the flushing valve (B7) mounted on the greywater flushing conduit (8) and to the electronic freshwater inlet valve (B4) on the freshwater conduite (3), wherein the ECU is provided with a definite programme with predetermined algorithms to the processing of signals received from the water sensors and which programme contains the processes to interpret the received signals to enable emitting predefined reaction signals and control commands to open and shut off the freshwater inlet valve (B4) and the flushing valve (B7).
 2. Electronic greywater reusing washing machine recycling the greaywater for toilet flushing according to claim 1, having a freshwater tank (B1) inside the greywater tank (1) on top of the washing machine capable of storing, treating and feeding the graywater for toilet flushing, said freshwater tank is equipped with electronic water sensors (F1, F2, F3, . . . Fn) mounted at determined scaled heights marking exact freshwater quantities, said fresh water sensors are electronically connected to the ECU of the washer, said ECU is connected to the flushing valve (B8) mounted on the greywater flushing conduit (8A) and to the electronic freshwater inlet valve (D4) on the freshwater conduite (3), wherein the ECU is provided with a definite programme with predetermined algorithms to the processing of signals received from the water sensors (F1, F2, . . . Fn) and which programme contains the processes to interpret the received signals to enable emitting predefined reaction signals and control commands to open and shut off the freshwater inlet valve (D4) and the flushing valve (B8).
 3. Electronic greywater reusing washing machine recycling the greaywater for toilet flushing according to claim 1, wherein there is a electromagnetic drain valve (7) mounted on the flushing conduit (8) connecting the greywater tank (1) to the toilet bowl, said drain valve is connected to the ECU of the washer and is also connected through the ECU to the electronic water sensors (S1, S2, S3, . . . Sn) mounted in the greywater tank (1).
 4. Electronic greywater reusing washing machine recycling the greaywater for toilet flushing according to claim 1, wherein there is a electromagnetic flushing valve (B8) mounted on the flushing conduit (8A) which flushing conduit connecting the freshwater tank (B1) to the toilet bowl, said electronic flushing valve (B8) is connected electronically to the ECU of the washer and through the ECU it is connected electronically to the electronic water sensors (F1, F2, F3, . . . Fn) mounted in the freshwater tank (B1).
 5. Electronic greywater reusing washing machine recycling the greaywater for toilet flushing according to claim 1, wherein there is an electromagnetic freshwater inlet valve (B4) mounted on the freshwater pipe (3) inside the washer, said electronic freshwater inlet valve (B4) is connected electronically to the ECU of the washer, and it is also connected through the washer to the electromagnetic flushing valve (7) mounted on the flushing conduit connecting the greywater tank (1) to the toilet bowl and said electronic freshwater valve (B4) is connected electronically through the ECU to the electronic water sensors (S1, S2, F3, . . . Sn) mounted in the greywater tank (1).
 6. Electronic greywater reusing washing machine recycling the greaywater for toilet flushing according to claim 1, wherein there is an electromagnetic freshwater inlet valve (D4) mounted on the freshwater pipe (3) inside the washer which inlet valve (D4) is electronically connected to the ECU of the washer, and through the ECU it is connected electronically to the electromagnetic flushing valve (B8) mounted on the flushing conduit (A8) connecting the greywater tank (1) to the toilet bowl and said inlet valve (D4) is also connected electronically through the ECU to the electronic water sensors (F1, F2, F3, . . . Sn) mounted in the freshwater tank (B1). 